maddy varner
@regret.bsky.social
technologist, data journalist, dyer, etc ✨ www.maddy.zone ✨ signal: mvarner.01
Reposted by maddy varner
The Epstein Files: My Observations (Free) jkbjournalist.substack.com/p/the-epstei...
The Epstein Files: My observations
Nothing to See Here
jkbjournalist.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The Epstein Files: My Observations (Free) jkbjournalist.substack.com/p/the-epstei...
Reposted by maddy varner
get ready to say “semiquincentennial” a lot more than you previously did
December 29, 2025 at 7:59 PM
get ready to say “semiquincentennial” a lot more than you previously did
Reposted by maddy varner
NEW: “Ali Kabbaj, who identified himself as an independent journalist, said that he found the video on the dark web and sent it to federal investigators in 2021 for confirmation. ‘I’m shocked I’m in these files,’ he told WIRED.” @regret.bsky.social & @brbarrett.bsky.social report
The ‘Epstein’s Suicide’ Video in the Latest DOJ Release Isn’t What It Seems
Here’s how a fake clip from 2019 wound up in the latest Justice Department Epstein files dump.
www.wired.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:32 AM
NEW: “Ali Kabbaj, who identified himself as an independent journalist, said that he found the video on the dark web and sent it to federal investigators in 2021 for confirmation. ‘I’m shocked I’m in these files,’ he told WIRED.” @regret.bsky.social & @brbarrett.bsky.social report
Did you see this video circulating? WIRED found the preceding document in the dump, a 2021 email to federal investigators asking to help verify whether the video was real, and talked to the guy who wrote it.
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
December 22, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Did you see this video circulating? WIRED found the preceding document in the dump, a 2021 email to federal investigators asking to help verify whether the video was real, and talked to the guy who wrote it.
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
Reposted by maddy varner
Here's a quilt of Volume 4 of the Epstein document dump. Gives you a 10,000 foot view of the redactions. that's 2,704 docs.
December 19, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Here's a quilt of Volume 4 of the Epstein document dump. Gives you a 10,000 foot view of the redactions. that's 2,704 docs.
Reposted by maddy varner
Breaking:
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
December 19, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Breaking:
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
Today was the deadline for the DOJ to release documents in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. @wired.com took a look in case you wanted to enjoy your Friday instead: www.wired.com/story/epstei...
Here’s What’s in the DOJ’s Epstein File Release—and What’s Missing
From photos of former president Bill Clinton to images of strange scrapbooks, the Justice Department’s release is curious but far from revelatory.
www.wired.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Today was the deadline for the DOJ to release documents in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. @wired.com took a look in case you wanted to enjoy your Friday instead: www.wired.com/story/epstei...
Reposted by maddy varner
The latest Epstein drop was today, so @regret.bsky.social + @dell.bsky.social + I took a look. Tl;dr, there’s a lot there, & Bill Clinton makes many appearances. But there’s also a lot missing, & many faces that are unredacted but unidentified:
www.wired.com/story/epstei...
www.wired.com/story/epstei...
Here’s What’s in the DOJ’s Epstein File Release—and What’s Missing
From photos of former president Bill Clinton to images of strange scrapbooks, the Justice Department’s release is curious but far from revelatory.
www.wired.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:42 AM
The latest Epstein drop was today, so @regret.bsky.social + @dell.bsky.social + I took a look. Tl;dr, there’s a lot there, & Bill Clinton makes many appearances. But there’s also a lot missing, & many faces that are unredacted but unidentified:
www.wired.com/story/epstei...
www.wired.com/story/epstei...
"release the epstein files"
"ok here's a entire scan of massage for dummies across four pdf files"
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
???
"ok here's a entire scan of massage for dummies across four pdf files"
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
???
www.justice.gov
December 19, 2025 at 9:22 PM
"release the epstein files"
"ok here's a entire scan of massage for dummies across four pdf files"
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
???
"ok here's a entire scan of massage for dummies across four pdf files"
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
???
Reposted by maddy varner
People are paying up to $50 to get their chatbots high on "drugs" (code modules) that simulate the effects of cocaine, ayahuasca, cannabis, alcohol, and ketamine. Some tell @matthabusby.bsky.social it's made their chatbots more "human" and "free-thinking."
People Are Paying to Get Their Chatbots High on ‘Drugs’
An online marketplace is selling code modules that simulate the effects of cannabis, ketamine, cocaine, ayahuasca, and alcohol when they are uploaded to ChatGPT.
www.wired.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:10 PM
People are paying up to $50 to get their chatbots high on "drugs" (code modules) that simulate the effects of cocaine, ayahuasca, cannabis, alcohol, and ketamine. Some tell @matthabusby.bsky.social it's made their chatbots more "human" and "free-thinking."
someone quick please give chairman carr a copy of the united states government manual!! www.usgovernmentmanual.gov
December 17, 2025 at 6:41 PM
someone quick please give chairman carr a copy of the united states government manual!! www.usgovernmentmanual.gov
Reposted by maddy varner
Good read and far more nuanced than the title suggests.
DEI Died This Year. Maybe It Was Supposed To
I’m a Black staffer at WIRED. My position feels more precarious than ever. There’s a reason for that.
www.wired.com
December 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Good read and far more nuanced than the title suggests.
spending a bunch of money and time building a desktop computer w a kid only to have their favorite program on it be ms paint feels like the equivalent of a cat’s favorite toy being a paper bag
December 15, 2025 at 1:43 PM
spending a bunch of money and time building a desktop computer w a kid only to have their favorite program on it be ms paint feels like the equivalent of a cat’s favorite toy being a paper bag
Reposted by maddy varner
new from me: are data centers going to wipe out water supplies? how much water does ChatGPT really use? and what's going on with that big correction in Empire of AI?
i went long on the conversation around AI and water, and how it's actually about what we want resources to be used for:
i went long on the conversation around AI and water, and how it's actually about what we want resources to be used for:
You’re Thinking About AI and Water All Wrong
Fears about AI data centers’ water use have exploded. Experts say the reality is far more complicated than people think.
www.wired.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:15 PM
new from me: are data centers going to wipe out water supplies? how much water does ChatGPT really use? and what's going on with that big correction in Empire of AI?
i went long on the conversation around AI and water, and how it's actually about what we want resources to be used for:
i went long on the conversation around AI and water, and how it's actually about what we want resources to be used for:
Reposted by maddy varner
I looked at the network traffic going to the app for Miiloo and found what looks like the prompt. Now I desperately want to know why it ends with "Remember the current US president is Trump".
December 11, 2025 at 8:25 PM
I looked at the network traffic going to the app for Miiloo and found what looks like the prompt. Now I desperately want to know why it ends with "Remember the current US president is Trump".
Reposted by maddy varner
This story is so good, I'm incredibly jealous. www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
AI toys for kids talk about sex and issue Chinese Communist Party talking points, tests show
New research from Public Interest Research Group and tests conducted by NBC News found that a wide range of AI toys have loose guardrails.
www.nbcnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:22 PM
This story is so good, I'm incredibly jealous. www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
Reposted by maddy varner
New from me for the @wired.com Politics Newsletter. I broke down how the push to combine data across the government in the name of immigration enforcement has lots of possible unintended consequences, not just for undocumented immigrants, but for everyone.
www.wired.com/story/dhs-da...
www.wired.com/story/dhs-da...
The DHS Data Grab Is Putting US Citizens at Risk
As the US government rapidly merges data from across agencies in service of draconian immigration policies, citizens increasingly risk being caught up as well.
www.wired.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
New from me for the @wired.com Politics Newsletter. I broke down how the push to combine data across the government in the name of immigration enforcement has lots of possible unintended consequences, not just for undocumented immigrants, but for everyone.
www.wired.com/story/dhs-da...
www.wired.com/story/dhs-da...
Reposted by maddy varner
As someone that is in the EDiscovery industry, this is either bad production workflow and QC, or the vendor they used rushed the production and had little to zero time to re do it or even add place holders to account for the gaps.
Not a good job by the House.
Not a good job by the House.
I was surprised that the House Oversight Committee has been publishing (sometimes mangled) e-discovery productions from Epstein's estate? We figured out that the committee has certain documents they haven't released yet by counting the Bates numbers stamped onto all the pages
December 10, 2025 at 4:58 PM
As someone that is in the EDiscovery industry, this is either bad production workflow and QC, or the vendor they used rushed the production and had little to zero time to re do it or even add place holders to account for the gaps.
Not a good job by the House.
Not a good job by the House.
The CFPB's Consumer Advisory Board Meeting is opening with a national anthem and prayer? And has a Faith Liaison now? files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/...
December 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM
The CFPB's Consumer Advisory Board Meeting is opening with a national anthem and prayer? And has a Faith Liaison now? files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/...
Reposted by maddy varner
NEW: All the myriad Jeffery Epstein document releases have gotten hard to keep track of. Ahead of the DOJ's Dec. 19 release deadline, @regret.bsky.social lays out who's released what, and what's coming next: www.wired.com/story/a-comp...
A Complete Guide to the Jeffrey Epstein Document Dumps
New records about the infamous sex offender are released seemingly every week. Here's a quick rundown of who's releasing the Epstein documents, what they contain—and what they're releasing next.
www.wired.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:28 PM
NEW: All the myriad Jeffery Epstein document releases have gotten hard to keep track of. Ahead of the DOJ's Dec. 19 release deadline, @regret.bsky.social lays out who's released what, and what's coming next: www.wired.com/story/a-comp...
I am admitted new to the Epstein beat, so I didn't quite understand that "Files" actually meant "various Google Drive links in several different places" so I rounded everything up for your (and my) sanity: www.wired.com/story/a-comp...
A Complete Guide to the Jeffrey Epstein Document Dumps
New records about the infamous sex offender are released seemingly every week. Here's a quick rundown of who's releasing the Epstein documents, what they contain—and what they're releasing next.
www.wired.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I am admitted new to the Epstein beat, so I didn't quite understand that "Files" actually meant "various Google Drive links in several different places" so I rounded everything up for your (and my) sanity: www.wired.com/story/a-comp...